JPH10191463A - Electric device and its control method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To allow the user to control electric devices in a home with the same operation method as access to the Internet. SOLUTION: A television receiver TV2, a video tape recorder VTR 3, and a personal computer PC 4 are connected by a network such as a LAN and the network is connected to a public line for transmission reception of information with an external device via a gateway unit 1. Private addresses in IP addresses used for the Internet are assigned to electronic devices 2-4 in a home and the gateway unit 1. Then the electronic devices 2, 3 are respectively incorporated with world wide web WWW servers 2a, 3a that have a function of sending data written in the hyper text markup language HTML according to a hyper text transfer protocol HTTP and the electronic devices 2, 4 are incorporated respectively with WWW browsers 2b, 4b that have functions of displaying the HTML data received according to the HTTP onto a screen.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic device capable of mutually controlling the operation of a plurality of electronic devices connected via a home network and a control method thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, electronic devices, particularly devices such as TV (television), VTR (video cassette recorder), and CD (compact disk) players, which are called AV devices, are controlled to operate in cooperation with each other. Some have a function called AV Compulink that has made it possible. This means that the devices are connected to each other by a dedicated connection line, and the other device is controlled in accordance with the operation of one device. For example, when a play button of a VTR is pressed, The TV is turned on and the input is switched to the video input side.

[0003] In addition, even with IEEE 1394 AVC commands, etc., the specifications of a unique command set for controlling various electronic devices are determined. Intelligent devices such as PCs (personal computers) are provided with dedicated command sets. Control of electronic devices (with control terminals) connected to a PC has been performed using software. The electronic device controlled here has a dedicated control terminal for performing operation control by an external device.

[0004] Furthermore, in PC software, Internet-dedicated terminals, TVs with an Internet access function, and the like, HTTP (HyperText Transfer P) is used.
HTML (Hyper) using the rotcol protocol.
WWW (WorldW) that allows you to view page data written in Text Markup Language
ide Web) and is widely used for accessing the Internet.

[0005]

In the conventional method of controlling an electronic device, when controlling the operation of the electronic device from a PC, it is necessary to execute dedicated software for controlling the electronic device. Was. Also, from TV to V
In consideration of mutual control between electronic devices such as controlling a TR, a TV needs to store a command set for controlling a VTR.
Its capacity was enormous, and it couldn't keep up with new equipment and new features. Since the same type of electronic device uses the same command set (control code), a plurality of electronic devices cannot be connected and used at the same time.

On the other hand, the browsing function of the Internet WWW has become widespread as a function of a personal computer.
An increasing number of electronic devices such as televisions have a function of accessing the Internet WWW. In the WWW on the Internet, for example, a lot of useful information for home use such as a TV program guide is provided. However, considering that the electronic device is controlled using the information of the Internet, when a video reservation is made with reference to a program table provided on the WWW, the user is outside the home with a WWW browser. It is necessary to access the WWW server to obtain information such as a program guide, and then make a video reservation using dedicated software for electronic device control. At this time, the operation becomes complicated because the WWW browser and the dedicated software for controlling the electronic device used are different software.

[0007] Accordingly, the present invention provides an electronic device in the home with W
By incorporating a WW server function, it is possible to control an electronic device from a device having a WWW browsing function such as a personal computer or an Internet TV. This allows
Users will be able to control electronic devices in their homes in the same manner as accessing the Internet. In addition, it is possible to access information outside the home by installing a gateway unit for the interface between the home and the outside of the home, and it is easy to handle the information outside the home and the information inside the home by the same operation method. The purpose is to enable simple operation.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION As means for achieving the above object, the following electronic equipment and its control method are provided.

1. An electronic device that performs an operation determined by a predetermined operation, and performs communication with a WWW server function of transmitting HTML data including a control code for controlling the operation and an external electronic device connected to a network. An electronic device having an interface function.

[0010] 2. An electronic device that performs an operation determined by a predetermined operation, an interface function for performing communication with another electronic device connected to a network, and an access to HTML data of the connected other electronic device. A WWW browser function, input means for operating itself and other electronic devices, and display means for displaying the HTML data so as to operate the other electronic devices. And electronic equipment.

3. A first electronic device control method for controlling a plurality of electronic devices connected to each other via a network, the first electronic device having a WWW server function of transmitting HTML data including a control code for controlling its own operation. The electronic device is accessed from a second electronic device having a WWW browser function for accessing the HTML data, and the operation of the first electronic device is controlled by the second electronic device. A method for controlling an electronic device, comprising:

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of an electronic apparatus according to the present invention and a control method thereof will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a home network connection. In FIG.
2, the VTR 3 and the PC 4 are connected by a network such as a LAN, and this network is connected to a public line via the gateway unit 1 for transmitting and receiving information to and from the outside.

An arbitrary address is assigned to each of the electronic devices 2 to 4 and the gateway unit 1 in the home. Here, a private address among IP addresses used on the Internet is used as this address. The servers built in the electronic devices 2 and 3 are WWW servers 2a and 3a having a function of transmitting data written in HTML by HTTP, and a browser built in each of the electronic devices 2 and 4. Are WWW browsers 2b and 4b having a function of displaying HTML data received by HTTP on a screen.

Here, an example will be described in which the electronic devices 2 to 4 connected to the network access in this manner. In the example shown in FIG. 1, there are a PC 4 and a TV 2 as devices having WWW browsers 2b and 4b that can use the Internet at home. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, an address on the Internet is designated using the respective WWW browsers 2b and 4b, and the WWW outside the home is designated.
When accessing the server, since the specified address is not in the home, the access content is passed to the gateway unit 1 and data is transferred to / from a WWW server outside the home via a public line. At this time, the gateway unit 1 makes a dial-up connection to a provider or the like that provides a connection service to the Internet using a public line. In this way, normal access to the Internet can be performed.

Further, as shown in FIG.
In order to operate the VTR 3 in the home from the user, the address 19 is used using the respective WWW browsers 2b and 4b.
Specify 2.168.10.102. Actually, it is set so that when the VTR 3 is specified, the address 192.168.10.102 is automatically accessed. Then, the user accesses the VTR 3 via the home network, and transmits information (user interface information) necessary for operating the VTR 3 from the WWW server 3a in the VTR 3 to the WWW browser 2b as an access source.
4b. Similarly, when the user operates the TV 2 from the PC 4, as shown in FIG.
Specify 8.10.101 to access TV2. And T
The user I / F information necessary for the operation of the TV 2 is displayed on the screen of the WWW browser 4b of the PC 4, which is the access source, from the WWW server 2a in the V2. When accessing from the WWW browser 2b built in the TV 2, the WW in the TV 2 itself without passing through the network is used.
It will access the W server 2a.

Here, a specific example of operating the VTR 3 will be described. FIG. 5 shows a display screen of the TV 2 or the PC 4 at this time, and FIG. 6 shows a display screen of the TV 2 or the PC 4 and the VTR 3.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the contents of data transmission and reception between the server and the server; First, T
When the user accesses the VTR 3 by specifying the address 192.168.10.102 from the WWW browsers 2b and 4b of the PC 2 or V2, a screen as shown in FIG. 5 is displayed. That is, W
When the WW browsers 2b and 4b issue a request (a request for page data) to the WWW server 3a in the VTR 3, the WWW server 3a in the VTR 3 controls the VTR 3 written in HTML in response to the request. The page data is sent out and displayed on the screen of the TV 2 or PC 4.

In the screen shown in FIG. 5, the operation target is VT
A display 31 of an operation target indicating R3, a VTR monitor image 32 displaying an input or reproduction image of the VTR 3,
A group of operation buttons 33 for controlling the operation of the VTR 3 such as recording, playback, and fast-forward, a recording reservation button 34 for shifting to a recording reservation screen for making a recording reservation, a setting button 35 for shifting to various setting screens, a counter 36, and the like are displayed. Have been. By designating the various buttons 33 to 35 with a mouse or a remote controller, it is possible to operate the VTR 3 with the same feeling as operating the VTR 3 directly. Also, this V
The request for TR3 is, for example, GET http: // 19
2.168.10.102/index.html Like HTTP / 1.0, GET is a data request method of HTTP protocol, http:
// is data indicating that it is HTTP protocol, 192.168.
10.102 / is address, index.html is data format, HTTP / 1.
0 indicates the protocol version.

In FIG. 5, the VTR monitor image 32 shows the current V
An image output from the TR is displayed, and operation buttons 33, 34, and 35 for controlling the VTR are displayed below the image.
The VTR monitor image 32 is a VTR serving as a server.
3, a pseudo moving image is displayed using a method of continuously transmitting a still image compressed by GIF or JPEG. In addition, when a method of transmitting a moving image by a procedure other than HTTP is supported on a network, or when transmitting a moving image between devices using a normal video cable is possible, the VTR
Because it becomes possible to display the video in 3 as it is,
As shown in FIG. 7, by displaying a moving image from the VTR 3 on the entire screen and displaying other information as a browser screen 37 in a superimposed manner on the moving image, a system with better operability can be provided. .

When the user using the WWW browsers 2b, 4b performs an operation on the operation button groups 33, 34, 35 using an input means such as a mouse, as shown in FIG. Of the operation performed by W
It is sent to the WW server 3a. The WWW server 3a of the VTR 3 receives an operation performed by the user and controls a mechanism of the VTR 3 to execute the operation. Then, the result of the operation is returned to the TV 2 or the PC 4 and displayed on the screen.

Here, the contents of the user's operation are stored in the WTR 3
As a method of transmitting information to the WW server 3a, an HTTP PO
In this case, new page data is sent from the WWW server 3a of the VTR 3 to the WWW browsers 2b and 4b as a result of the POST, so that the entire screen of the WWW browsers 2b and 4b is used. Is redrawn. It should be noted that in order to avoid this redrawing and to realize an even more advanced user interaction, Java executable on the WWW browsers 2b and 4b
A program such as a may be incorporated in the page data in advance, and the user's operation may be transmitted to the WWW server 3a.

Next, a case in which the TV 2 or the PC 4 makes a recording reservation for the VTR 3 will be described. FIG. 5 or FIG.
When the recording reservation button 34 is selected on the operation screen shown in FIG. 9, a screen as shown in FIG. 9 is displayed on the TV 2 or the PC 4. Then, the reservation operation of the VTR 3 can be performed on this screen. FIG. 9 shows a screen for making a recording reservation of the VTR 3, in which a title display 34a indicating a reservation screen of the VTR 3 is provided at an upper part of the screen, and a list 34b of reservations already made is displayed below the title display 34a. ing. At the bottom, a field 34d for inputting a new reservation is displayed. In this field 34d, a recording start date, a recording start time and an end time, and a recording channel are input, and a new reservation button 34e is selected. By doing so, a new reservation can be added.

A list 34 of reservations already made
At the left end of b, there is a radio button 34c for each reservation (each line), and the user selects the radio button 34c of the line on which the contents of the reservation that has become unnecessary is displayed, and then presses the release button 34f. By making a selection, the reservation can be deleted.

Further, an example of operating the TV 2 with the PC 4 will be described. TV2 from WWW browser 4b of PC4
When the address 192.168.10.101 is specified,
Is displayed on the PC 4. Similarly to the operation example of the VTR 3 described above, an operation target display 21 indicating that the operation target is a TV, a TV monitor image 22 displaying a reception or input image of the TV 2, a channel button 23, a channel operation button 24, a volume An adjustment button 25 and the like are displayed. By designating these various buttons 23 to 25 with a mouse or a remote controller, it is possible to operate the TV 2 with the same feeling as directly operating the TV 2.

The TV monitor image 22 displays a pseudo moving image using a method of continuously transmitting still images compressed by GIF or JPEG from the TV 2 serving as a server. If video transmission is possible, such as when a video transmission method using a procedure other than the above is supported, or when a video cable is connected to the TV2 video output using a normal video cable, the video from TV2 will be used as it is on the entire screen. And the other information is displayed as a browser screen in a superimposed manner on the moving image, so that a more operable system can be provided.

In FIG. 10, a TV is displayed on the left half of the screen of PC4.
An operation screen similar to that of the remote control of the TV 2 is displayed on the monitor image 22 in the right half. Then, display this screen and
When the TV 2 is accessed from the PC 4 in order to operate the TV 2 from the C 4, data transfer as shown in FIG. 11 is performed as in the case of the VTR 3 described above. That is, the WWW browser 4b issues a request (a request for page data) to the WWW server 2a in the TV 2, and the WWW server 2a in the TV 2 controls the TV 2 written in HTML in response to the request. The page data is transmitted and displayed on the screen of the PC 4.

The WWW browser 2b in the TV 2
When the WWW server 2a in the TV 2 is accessed from the PC 2, as shown in FIG. 12, the same data transfer as that performed from the PC 4 is performed in the TV 2. Also at this time, the screen shown in FIG. 10 is displayed on the TV 2. And FIG.
Buttons 23 to 23 on the operation panel in the right half of the screen
When the user operates the input device 25 using an input device such as a mouse, as shown in FIG. 13, the operation content is transmitted to the WWW server 2a of the TV 2 using the POST method of the HTTP protocol or the like as in the case of the VTR 3. Sent out. W
The WW server 2a controls the hardware of the TV 2 to perform an operation that matches the operation content such as a channel change or volume control. In addition, TV2 has its own WWW.
When the browser 2b accesses its own WWW server 2a, information flows only in the TV 2 without passing through a network, as shown in FIG. Then, at this time, the moving image received by the TV 2 is displayed on the screen as it is, and the operation screen is displayed in the right half or superimposed.

Here, the WWW server 2a in the TV 2
15 is shown in FIG. 15 and will be described below. A WWW server 2a shown in FIG. 1 includes a network interface 51 for performing communication with a WWW browser, and an HTTP process connected to the network interface 51 for receiving a request from the WWW browser and transmitting page data written in HTML. Unit 52, a page data storage unit 53 that holds the contents of page data for controlling the TV2 with the WWW browser, and accepts the operation of the TV2 when the user operates the TV2 via the WWW browser. T that actually controls the hardware 56 of the TV 2
Capturing (temporarily storing) TV image data supplied from the V operation receiving unit 54 and the TV hardware 56
Then, the data is converted into still image data such as GIF / JPEG,
And a TV image encoder 55 for outputting to the TTP processing section 52.

In the WWW server 2a having such a configuration, when a request from the WWW browser is received by the network interface 51, the request is sent to the H
The information is passed to the TTP processing unit 52. The HTTP processing unit 52 receives the page data from the page data storage unit 53, receives the still image data from the TV image encoder 55, incorporates the still image data into the page data, and outputs it to the network interface 51. Then, the network interface 51 outputs page data as shown in FIG. 10 to the WWW browser that has made the request. Also,
When TV2 operation is performed on the WWW browser side,
The content of the operation is supplied to the HTTP processing unit 52 via the network interface 51, and is output to the TV operation receiving unit 54 as a TV operation request. TV operation receiving unit 54
Then, the content of the TV operation request is operated on the TV hardware 56, and the result is output to the HTTP processing unit 52. The processing result is output to the WWW browser via the network interface 51.

FIG. 16 shows a configuration example of the WWW server 3a in the VTR 3. WWW server 3a shown in FIG.
Is a network interface 61 for communicating with a WWW browser, and the network interface 61
HT that receives a request from a WWW browser and sends out page data written in HTML
A TP processing unit 62, a page data storage unit 63 that holds the contents of page data for controlling the VTR 3 with a WWW browser,
When the operation of R3 is performed, the VTR operation receiving unit 64 that receives the operation and actually controls the hardware 66 of the VTR 3 and captures (temporarily stores) image data supplied from the VTR hardware 66. , GIF /
A TV image encoder 65 that converts the data into still image data such as JPEG and outputs it to the HTTP processing unit 62, a reservation receiving unit 67 that makes a recording reservation, a reservation database 68 that holds the reserved contents, And a page data generating section 69 for generating page data.

The WWW server 3 having such a configuration
In a, when the network interface 61 receives a request from the WWW browser, the network interface 61 passes the request to the HTTP processing unit 62. HTTP processing unit 62
Then, depending on the content of the request, the page data storage unit 6
3 and the still image data from the image encoder 65, incorporates the data into the page data, and outputs it to the network interface 61. Then, the network interface 61 outputs page data as shown in FIG. 5 or FIG. 7 to the WWW browser that has made the request.

When the operation of the VTR 3 is performed on the WWW browser side, the contents of the operation are supplied to the HTTP processing unit 62 via the network interface 61 and output to the VTR operation receiving unit 64 as a VTR operation request. You. The VTR operation accepting unit 64 operates the VTR hardware 66 for the content of the VTR operation request,
The result is output to the HTTP processing unit 62. The processing result is output to the WWW browser via the network interface 61. Further, when the recording reservation button 34 is selected in a state where FIG. 5 or FIG. 7 is displayed on the screen of the WWW browser, the contents thereof are as follows.
The data is supplied to the HTTP processing unit 62 via the network interface 61 and output to the page data generation unit 69. In the page data generator 69, the reservation database 6
Referring to FIG. 8, page data indicating the current reservation content as shown in FIG. 9 is generated and transmitted to the HTTP processing unit 62. Then, it is output to the WWW browser side via the network interface 61.

Thereafter, when the date / time and channel are entered in the reservation field 34d on the screen shown in FIG. 9 and the new reservation button 34e is selected, the contents are supplied to the HTTP processing unit 62 via the network interface 61. Then, it is output to the reservation receiving section 67. Reservation reception part 67
Then, the contents are written in the reservation database 68 and the reservation database is updated. It should be noted that the same applies to the case of deleting the reservation content. When the update of the database is completed and the information is output to the HTTP processing unit 62,
The HTTP processing unit 62 requests the page data generation unit 69 for page data indicating the new reservation content. The page data generator 69 refers to the reservation database 68,
Generates page data indicating the new reservation content, and
It is sent to the P processing unit 62. Then, the data is output to the WWW browser via the network interface 61.

Finally, the configuration of the WWW browser 2b provided in the TV 2 will be described with reference to FIG.
A WWW browser 2b shown in FIG. 1 includes a network interface 71 for communicating with a WWW server, and an HTTP connected to the network interface 71 for receiving page data and image data from the WWW server.
A processing unit 72, an HTML processing unit 73 that converts supplied page data into display data, a moving image decoder 74 that converts supplied image data into moving image (pseudo moving image) data, and an HTML processing unit 73. A superimposing unit 75 that superimposes the supplied display data and the moving image data supplied from the moving image decoder 74 and outputs the resulting data to the display unit 76 is provided.

In the WWW browser 2b having such a structure, when the user operates the operation unit 77 to operate the VTR 3, for example, the operation signal becomes HTML.
Supplied to the HTTP processing unit 72 via the processing unit 72,
WWW server 3 of VTR 3 converted by the HTTP protocol via network interface 71
a is output as a request signal. VTR3 WW
When page data and image data corresponding to the request signal are supplied from the W server 3a via the network interface 71, the image data is supplied to the moving image decoder 74 via the HTTP processing unit 72, and is converted into a video signal. Is supplied to the HTML processing unit 72 and converted into browser display data.

Further, the video signal and the browser display data are superimposed by the superimposing section 75, output to the display section 76, and displayed. When the image data is transmitted and supplied by another method instead of the HTTP protocol, the image data is supplied directly from the network interface 71 to the moving image decoder 74. In this case, the moving image decoder 74 converts the input moving image data into a video signal and outputs the video signal.

As described above, the electronic device and the control method of the present invention can control other electronic devices in the home as if they were connected to the Internet and viewed a homepage outside the home. , Anyone can operate easily. In addition, an operation using information on a homepage outside the home can be easily performed. And 2
Even when a plurality of electronic devices of the same type such as a single VTR are connected, they can be individually operated because the addresses to which the respective electronic devices are connected are different.

Furthermore, even if the number of electronic devices increases, only the number of addresses increases. Then, even if an electronic device having a new function is connected in the future, information on the new function is supplied as page data from a WWW server incorporated in the newly added electronic device to another electronic device. Therefore, it is possible to operate from a currently connected electronic device having a WWW browser function.

[0038]

According to the electronic device and the control method of the present invention, the user can operate the electronic device in the home having the WWW server function from another electronic device in the same manner as accessing the Internet. be able to. Also, WW
An electronic device having a W browser function can easily control an electronic device having a WWW server function. Furthermore, there is an effect that even if an electronic device of the same type or a new electronic device that has never been added is added, it can be handled.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a home network connection for explaining an embodiment of an electronic device and a control method thereof according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a case where a TV or a PC accesses the outside.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a case where a TV or a PC controls a VTR.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing a case where a TV is controlled from a PC.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a display example of a screen when a VTR is controlled from a TV or a PC.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a case where a TV or a PC controls a VTR.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another display example of a screen when controlling a VTR from a TV or a PC.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a case where a TV or a PC controls a VTR.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a display example of a screen when a recording reservation is made from a TV or a PC.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a display example of a screen when a TV is controlled from a PC.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a case where a TV is controlled from a PC.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a case where control is performed in a TV.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a case where a TV is controlled from a PC.

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing a case where control is performed in a TV.

FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a WWW server built in a TV.

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a WWW server built in a VTR.

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a WWW browser built in a TV.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Gateway unit 2 TV 2a WWW server 2b WWW browser 3 VTR 3a WWW server 4 PC 4b WWW browser

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electronic device that performs an operation determined by a predetermined operation, and a WWW server function of transmitting HTML data including a control code for controlling the operation, and an external electronic device connected to a network An electronic device comprising an interface function for communicating with the electronic device. 2. An electronic device for performing an operation determined by a predetermined operation, wherein an interface function for communicating with another electronic device connected to a network, and the connected other electronic device is It has a WWW browser function for accessing HTML data, input means for operating itself and other electronic devices, and display means for displaying the HTML data, so as to operate the other electronic devices. Electronic equipment characterized in that: 3. A method of controlling an electronic device for mutually controlling a plurality of electronic devices connected via a network, the WWW server function of transmitting HTML data including a control code for controlling its own operation. The first electronic device having a WWW browser function for accessing the HTML data is accessed from the second electronic device having the function of accessing the HTML data, and the operation of the first electronic device is performed by the second electronic device. A method for controlling an electronic device, wherein the method is controlled.